A Capital Event, Naturellement

Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA

So it was this year. In this so-political town, we even had a potential scandal right outside the Prime Minister’s house. The simple question "Who won?" was not so simple for some hours, and took deft handling to finally answer. Around 9K, one of the myriad intersections was apparently deserted by its minders for the wrong instant. Without them, the route seemed to head straight to a right-hand turn near 24 Sussex Drive (our equivalent of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue). But the course actually goes left, all the way around an intervening block. The difference is about 400m.

A small leading group followed the vehicles correctly. But for the chasing pack, the vehicles were already out of sight on the short block. They failed to turn left, and charged, inadvertently, straight to Sussex.

The leaders emerged from the correct route, and saw the group come out of a different intersection ahead. With 32 kilometers left at close to three minutes each, that can’t help your focus. Your need for justice may ferment as the race proceeds. Emotional words were heard at the finish.

Enter Race Director John Halvorsen. He is an engineer by training, but has diplomacy in his genes: He came to Ottawa years ago when his father was a member of Norway’s embassy staff. He is also holder of the 28:12 10K course record that still stands 18 years after he set it.

The advertised prize money ("Ay, there’s the rub!") was awarded only to those who ran the full route. The short-cutters’ times appear in the results, in order, but without placings, with the notation "unratified"—so much more diplomatic than "disqualified." The "unratified" were paid, in Halvorsen’s words, "for their efforts." The amount is, and should remain, undisclosed. The race chose to make a private arrangement, and dipped into its coffers to do so.

Remember, the diplomats argued, these were professionals who had come to do a job. Apart from the missed turn, they had done it well. Their world-class running thrilled the large crowd and inspired the fastest race in depth for years, including the first sub-2:30 by any Canadian woman for a long, long time.